The Heart of Klaus
by Val76
Summary: A/U: Klaus/OC: Also features Rebekah. Klaus has become known to the residents of Mystic Falls as a heartless villain, but little do they know that he loved someone very deeply, until they were torn apart by forces out of their control. Rated M for sexual content and supernatural horror. Please R&R. Enjoy! DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Vampire Diaries name or characters.
1. Chapter 1

The Vampire Diaries: The Heart of Klaus

_Introduction_

"What are you doing, Klaus! Let him go!" The petite brunette bravely stood her ground as she stared into the eyes of the ancient vampire who held her beloved Stefan in his grasp. "I love him, Klaus, and he loves me - something you will never understand!"

Nicklaus Mikaelson, or Klaus, as he preferred to be known, held tightly to his "Ripper" and squeezed even harder in response to her words. "I have lived a long, long time, Elena. Don't you dare assume that you know anything about me." He released Stefan into Elena's care and watched her escort him out the front door. "Young and foolish little ones," he muttered to himself as he poured himself a glass of chilled French champagne. Sitting down in his favorite leather chair, Klaus closed his eyes and sipped the heavenly beverage. The memories began to flood his mind of his beloved Marina...

_Chapter 1_

It was the fall of 1999 in Seattle, Washington. Marina Bell had finally made it to her final semester of college. She loved the beauty of fall and enjoyed the feel of the slight chill in the air, especially at night. Enjoying her usual Cafe Americano from Starbucks with cream and zero-calorie sweetener, Marina walked from her black Ford Taurus to her evening study group at the University of Washington. "Hey, guys!" She sat down next to her friend Ashley and looked across the table at Sam and Brandon, who were busy flicking paper wads at each other. _"Mature, as always," she thought to herself._

"Marina! You got a new jacket," Ashley exclaimed as she admired the brown leather jacket that Marina bought at the mall the previous evening.

"I decided to splurge - got my new credit card yesterday, so I had to break it in!" She tried to heed her parents' advice and attempt to live on her measly $9.00/hr part-time job as a receptionist, but she soon discovered that she had a champagne taste on a college kid's budget, and wanted so much more from life.

"Ready to get this world history stuff going? I got a date later tonight!" Ashley flipped her long, curly blond hair and smiled.

"Sure, I'm ready to start my weekend, too." Marina wished she could say she had a date, too, but that hadn't been the case for a long time. Too long. "Alright, boys. Let's get crackin'."

Sam and Brandon stopped their childish games and they all began their studies, focusing on the Tudors of England. The hour passed quickly, then Marina decided to stop in the women's restroom before leaving. The thought of food crossed her mind as she ran her fingers through her straight reddish-brown hair that rested on her shoulders. She touched up her makeup, smiling at her reflection in the mirror and congratulating herself for the bronze shade of eye shadow that she wore, making her brown eyes stand out. _"Why is it that every guy I meet is so immature? Surely there's better choices out there."_

Marina walked across campus, heading towards the parking lot. There was hardly a soul around and the quiet of the evening inspired her imagination. As she was walking, a thought came to her. She found the nearest bench to sit on and pulled out her notebook. A line of poetry that she could expand upon later was floating in her mind and she didn't want to lose it. She wrote it down frantically, then gazed up at the moon. It was so beautiful tonight - full and bright. _"Just as the sun can guide you, so can the moon..." _Marina's grandmother had given her that advice a long time ago and she never forgot it. _"I wonder what it's like up there..."_

_"Another new start. That's what I need." _Klaus looked around the campus, enjoying the crisp night air and feeling free. He had left behind another massacre, this time in Las Vegas. The gambling was fun for a while, until he got bored and decided that he had enough of human debauchery. He wanted to go somewhere pure, somewhere quiet. The blood lust was somewhat suppressed, thanks to the full moon and his recent diet of blood bank bags. Normally, he fed on whoever happened to cross his path, but he grew tired of the monotony of it all. All the victims started to look the same. He desperately wanted to meet a human that held some bit of fascination for him. Turning the corner, the sound of a single heartbeat caught his attention and he spotted an attractive brunette sitting on a bench, staring up at the moon and writing in her notebook. _"A young girl would taste so delicious right now." _He watched her for a moment, reveling in the far-away look she had on her beautiful face. Slowly approaching her, he began to feel anxious as the sweet scent of her perfume filled his senses. He was surprised that she didn't notice him. The realization that she was so blissful and unaware of the impending danger that stood before her intrigued him. He decided that he didn't want to kill her. There was something special about her. "Excuse me for interrupting you, but can you tell me where the library is?"

Marina was so lost in thought that she was startled at his words. The dreamy smile that was on her lips slowly faded as she turned her attention to him and felt her heart skip a beat. He had an English accent and was very attractive. His eyes appeared dark at first, then took on a lighter shade as he came closer and the moonlight grazed his face. His hair was a honey-blond shade with the slightest bit of wave to it. Pulling herself together, she cleared her throat and replied, "the library is over there." She pointed towards it, smiled, then went back to her notebook. Marina didn't want to seem too obvious.

"Oh, I see. I just arrived in town and will be a guest lecturer next week. My name is Nicklaus Mikaelson, but you may call me Klaus." He extended his hand to her, even though she appeared to be ignoring him. She stood up, laid her notebook down, and took his hand.

"Marina Bell. It's nice to meet you." His hand was cold, but very strong. She didn't expect that, since he seemed to have a slender frame. She wondered why he was even paying any attention to her.

"I hope I don't sound too forward, Miss Bell, but you're the first person I've spoken to since I arrived. Would you mind if I sit here with you for a moment?"

Marina couldn't help but smile. "No, I don't mind at all." She moved her belongings over towards her, making room for him. The fleeting thought of _"stranger danger" _crossed her mind, but she knew there was an emergency box on the pole right next to her. If he turned out to be a psycho, all she had to do was scream and push the red button. She prayed he wasn't.

He studied her face, trying to read her expressions without tapping into her thoughts. That would be too easy. He wanted to enjoy the game of flirtation. "Are you a writer?"

"Yeah, sort of. I like to write poetry in my spare time." She looked down for a brief moment, suddenly feeling bashful under his intense gaze. "What do you like to do?"

"I like to draw portraits of beautiful things, such as yourself."

Marina studied his face to see if he was serious or just using a pick-up line.

Klaus could tell what she was thinking. "You are very beautiful, Miss Bell."

She felt her face flush. "Well, thank you, Mr. Mikaelson, but..."

"Klaus, please. I insist."

"Okay. Klaus. Thank you for the compliment." The awkwardness she felt caused her to look at her watch. "If you need to go to the library, you might want to go now. They close in 45 minutes."

He was amused by her sense of punctuality. He could tell that she was an intelligent girl, which was a refreshing change. "Well, I better go, then. Would you care to join me?"

Marina debated in her head whether she should or shouldn't. She didn't want to appear too desperate, but it was Friday night. She had nothing better to do, and she enjoyed being around him. He exuded an Old World Charm that was very intriguing and his accent made her weak in the knees. "Sure!"

They began their walk to the library, in silence, at first. "So, Marina, do you live on campus?"

"No, I'm renting an apartment not too far from here. I plan to move once I graduate and get a full-time job. The neighborhood has deteriorated significantly since I moved in." She thought about the crappy neighborhood where her apartment was. People coming and going at all hours of the night, the flashing of the police car lights between 2 and 3am, seemingly always on the night before a test, and the howling dogs that never stop. She carried a personal alarm on her key chain and always had her finger on the button when she went to and from home, just in case. Her brief Tae-Kwon-Do lessons gave her a sense of security, too. "So, who are you a guest lecturer for?"

"Professor Hale - World History." He had quite easily compelled the old man to let him speak during one of his upcoming classes. The thought of being an educator interested him and it was something he had never tried before.

"That's the course I'm taking! I guess I'll get to hear your presentation next week."

He smiled at her. "It will be nice to see a familiar face. Perhaps I will not be as nervous." The truth was he had not felt nervous in many, many years. He was always in control. They arrived at the library and found a place to sit. Going their separate ways inside the building, Klaus headed to the ancient books, looking for information on vampires and werewolves. It amused him to read the folklore that so many authors had written about his species. However, very little was written about hybrids. Yet, he still felt the urge to research it anyway. He grabbed a book and headed back to his seat. He could sense where she was as he made his way back, so he made sure that she would run into him.

Marina didn't feel like studying. So, she headed to the magazine section and picked up the latest issue of Consumer Reports. As she flipped the pages, she walked back to her seat, but wasn't paying attention and ran right into Klaus as he rounded the corner. "Oh, I'm sorry. I should have been watching where I was going..." She couldn't break away from his stare. He had placed his hands on her arms to steady her at the time of their collision.

"That's alright, Love." He locked onto her brown eyes, holding her hostage. Then, he saw a glimpse of loneliness in her that looked all too familiar. The same look of loneliness that he saw when he looked at himself in the mirror every day.

She felt connected to him, somehow. It was a weird sensation that Marina didn't know how to describe. The feeling of his strong hands on her arms and the feel of his breath on her skin as he spoke to her made her tingle all over. "Have we met before?" The question escaped her lips before she could stop them.

"Perhaps in a past life," he responded. He broke the hold on her gaze by grinning at her and releasing her arms. "Let's go have a seat, shall we?"

Marina relaxed and grinned back.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

The library was ready to close. Marina and Klaus had been reading quietly to themselves and had not said a word to each other. Occasionally, he would glance her way, watching her pretty eyes move back and forth across the pages as she read. He also noticed that the top button of her blouse had come undone, revealing a glimpse of a white satin bra with shiny pearl sequins underneath. She was gifted with abundant cleavage that made Klaus's mind start to wander. It felt like an eternity since he had slept with a woman, and the possibility of sharing that physical closeness with a beauty such as her was exciting. He found it amusing that she was trying not to notice him, but he knew that she was interested, and very aware of his eyes on her.

She could feel his gaze upon her and she hoped that her cheeks weren't too flushed. Glancing over the top of her magazine, she cautiously stared at the exquisite lines of his handsome face as he read, then took notice of his expensive black leather jacket and dark teal blue dress shirt. He obviously had money, and very good taste in fashion. It suddenly occurred to her that she never looked for a wedding ring, so she caught a glimpse of his left hand and was relieved when she saw it was bare.

Despite the late hour, Klaus decided he wasn't ready to end his time with her. So, he broke the silence by asking, "Would you like to have dinner with me?"

Marina was surprised. She was actually being asked out. "You mean, now?"

"Yes, that is, if you are hungry." He knew she was. He could hear her stomach rumbling.

"Yeah, I am hungry, actually." She was trying to hide her excitement.

"I noticed an Italian restaurant as I drove in to town. Why don't we go there?"

"That sounds great! I'll meet you there." She still didn't feel sure enough to suggest riding together. _"Better safe than sorry."_

He smiled at her and they walked in opposite directions to their respective vehicles. She glanced at him as he walked away, noticing how well his jeans hugged his slender frame.

As Klaus drove his black BMW, his thoughts drifted to the last relationship he experienced with a human. It had ended badly. The words of their last conversation echoed in his mind. It was 1910 and her name was Elizabeth...

_"Darling, where in the world have you been? You missed my most pivotal scene!" Elizabeth scolded Klaus as she stepped backstage behind the curtain. Her acting career was in full bloom and it became obvious to Klaus that he was slowly becoming second in her life._

_"Elizabeth, I told you that I would be late this evening."_

_"Yes! Your little sister was in trouble again! How many times must you run to her aid?" Elizabeth turned abruptly to head towards her dressing room, her fiery red hair flowing behind her._

_"I've warned you before, Elizabeth. Hold your tongue about Rebekah." Klaus followed her into the dressing room and closed the door._

_"Or what? You'll leave me?"_

_"Don't tempt me."_

_"Really, Klaus. You need to find a sense of humor. Oh, Darling, you should have heard the applause tonight! It was marvelous!"_

_He watched her take off her diamond earrings and study herself in the mirror. He was losing her and the pain was beginning to take hold. It quickly turned to anger._

_"I'm finished with this conversation. I'll be back later."_

_"Oh, alright. Don't forget to bring me a bite to eat before the end of the show, Dear!"_

_He stormed out of the playhouse, fuming to himself. "I refuse to be anyone's servant! She's gone too far this time." After spending some time at the local pub, he noticed that Elizabeth's show had just ended. He decided to end things with her and move on, so he headed back to the playhouse and opened the door to her dressing room. Klaus's heart sank as he looked upon Elizabeth, sitting on her dressing table, with his brother Kol wedged between her legs. He was drinking from her neck as she drank from his wrist._ _The exchange of blood was the most erotic and intimate ritual a vampire could experience. The intense pain and rage exploded from Klaus in a blinding fury_. _Kol was daggered before he could say a word and Elizabeth was tossed across the room like a rag doll. "You treacherous bitch!" He quickly drained her dry, then left, carrying the body of his brother out the door and into the night._

The pain of the betrayal had taken a long time for him to get over. He regained his focus back to the present and looked forward to spending time with Marina. She was exquisite and seemed to exude a trustworthiness and loyalty that was extremely rare - so unlike Elizabeth. He was ready to take a chance to end the loneliness that had become too much to bear.

The Italian restaurant was quiet due to the late hour, which was fine with Marina. It seemed a lot more intimate and romantic that way. They had arrived at the same time and found a secluded booth in the corner. Klaus ordered the most expensive red wine on the list. "I spent some time in Italy a while back - beautiful country."

"I imagine so. I've never been overseas."

"Well, perhaps someday."

"I hope so. I love to travel, when I can afford it."

"I have a feeling that you are going to be very successful in your career. You'll be able to afford many of the things you want."

"So, what do you do when you're not visiting campuses to give lectures?"

Klaus smiled to himself, knowing that she expected him to say that he had some sort of real job. "I do whatever I want, really. My parents left me a fortune when they died."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was it recently that they passed away?"

"No, Love. It was many years ago. I don't even think about it much anymore."

"Do you still have other family? Siblings?"

"Yes, I have 3 brothers and a sister."

"Oh, where do they live?"

"They live all together, in a mansion in New Orleans. I rarely speak to them." He thought of Elijah, Finn, and Kol lying in their coffins, staked and immobile for as long as he saw fit to keep them there. His sister, Rebekah, kept watch over them in his absence. That was their punishment for betraying him.

"I don't have any siblings. I've always wondered what it would be like." Marina remembered asking her mother for a sibling when she was about five, but her mother was no longer able to have children. Her grandmother had been unable to have any children after her mother. It seemed to be a curse of some sort.

"Well, being responsible for my brothers and little sister has always been a challenge."

The waiter came and took their orders, bringing the red wine to their table and pouring a glass for each one. Klaus raised the glass and Marina did the same. "To new beginnings."

"To new beginnings." They clinked their glasses and drank at the same time. She was impressed with the wine and with Klaus. She felt more and more at ease with him as the night went on. They ate their dinner while he shared descriptions of some of the places in Italy and France he had visited. His voice was comforting to her and those amazing eyes of his kept her entranced.

He paid the bill and asked, "Now, Love, would you like me to follow you home? It is getting late and you've already told me about your unsavory neighborhood."

She felt relieved that he offered. "Yes, I would. Thank you for the wonderful dinner. I enjoyed it very much."

"You're welcome. Let's go."

He followed her to the apartment and walked with her to the doorstep. Marina really didn't want him to leave, but she knew that it was crazy to ask someone in on a first date. "Thank you, Klaus. I had an enjoyable evening with you." She smiled confidently, hoping that he felt the same way.

"I enjoyed your company immensely, Miss Bell. I hope you will allow me to take you out again sometime?"

She couldn't hold back her smile. "I would love to!"

He boldly took her hand in his and placed it to his lips. He could feel her pulse as his finger touched her wrist. The blood lust began to rise, but he forced it back. "Good night," he whispered.

"Good night," she whispered back. Their eyes locked once again. She wanted him to kiss her so badly.

He could sense what she wanted. Without hesitation, he pulled her closer and passionately placed his lips on hers. He reached out to touch her silky smooth hair. It felt glorious to him.

She returned his kiss and felt so incredibly alive. She placed her hand on his cheek, feeling his cold, soft skin. He had a hint of a five-o-clock shadow that brushed against her palm. They slowly pulled their lips apart, backing away just enough to look into each other's eyes once again. She wanted to be held.

Again, he knew what she wanted. He pulled her to him and she rested her head on his shoulder, holding her tight. He stroked her hair and placed a kiss on her forehead. The loneliness that followed him everywhere he went seemed a little easier to bear as he enjoyed feeling her in his embrace, listening to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. She needed him and he loved that.

She loved being held in his arms. The scent of his seductive cologne and the feel of his strong hands caused her mind to wander into the bedroom, but knew she should stop this before she lost all of her senses completely. After all, she just met this guy. "I better go inside."

He slowly let her go, despite feeling the intense urge to make her invite him in so that he could have his way with her. "Sweet dreams, Love," he said quietly and turned to leave.

"Klaus?"

He turned back.

"I'm not doing anything tomorrow," she exclaimed.

"Why don't I come by around eleven?"

"That would be nice. Good night." She gently smiled.

"Good night." He watched her go inside before he walked to his car and left, feeling a happiness he had not felt in what seemed like forever.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

_"How could so much happen in such a short time?" _she wondered to herself as she got ready for bed. Klaus was the most amazing man she had ever met. Laying down on her rose-colored sheets, she thought of him and his beautiful pale blue eyes. The moment Marina fell asleep, she felt as if she was transported in time. She was dressed in a beautiful gown from the early 1900's - a pale blue coatdress with an oversized hat and parasol, similar to what Eliza Doolittle from "My Fair Lady" would have worn. Looking around, she found herself in a grand ballroom with lots of people all dressed in the same period clothing as her. Then, Klaus appeared from the crowd, dressed in modern-day attire. Confused, Marina asked, "Klaus? What am I doing here?"

"You don't remember, Love?"

"No, I don't. Please help me."

He kissed her hand, then walked away.

"Wait! Where are you going?" She searched frantically for him, but he had disappeared. Then, a young man with dark hair took her in his arms and began to dance with her. The spinning of the room began to get to her, causing Marina to wake up from the dream and sit up in her bed. She looked at the clock and saw that it was 2:38. "Just in time for the sirens..." she muttered to herself. The sirens began shortly afterward, except they didn't stop and continued throughout the night. Marina gave up trying to go back to sleep, so she stayed up and watched a marathon of old musicals, starting with her favorite, "West Side Story." _"Tonight, tonight, it all began tonight. I saw you and the world went away..." _Her eyes slowly closed.

The full moon shone brightly as Klaus drove back to his hotel. He thought of Marina and wanted her so much. It would have been so easy to take her over, but he couldn't do it. A true courtship - that's what he wanted with her, which meant it had to be mutual, no compelling involved. As he drove, he started to feel that something was wrong. The urge to turn on the full moon had been suppressed by his mother's spell a long time ago, but something had awakened in him. Pulling over into a heavily wooded park, Klaus keeled over as he made his way out of his car. He made his way deep into the thick of the trees and felt as if he would change into his werewolf form. The pain of his bones shifting and breaking caused him to scream into the darkness. He felt his eyes change to an amber glow and his fangs extend. Suddenly, the physical transformation was halted, but the rage inside exploded out of him nonetheless. He ran through the park, attacking the first living creature he saw. The rest of the night became a blur to him and he woke up back where he started, laying in the grass just before dawn. He quickly ran to his car and drove to his hotel. _"You must take care, Nicklaus. I will always be watching you." _It was the last words Esther had said to him before he destroyed her. Esther Mikaelson, his mother, the witch, who had occasionally made her presence known to him throughout his life. He was never sure if it was simply out of love for him or an attempt to bring about his conscience.

"Alright, Mother. You've had your fun. I actually felt happy tonight so you had to interfere, is that it?" He shouted out of anger and frustration. The pain in his body had finally subsided, but it concerned him that he couldn't remember what he did for the past few hours and the resulting silence infuriated him. Klaus clenched his fist, furious that even in death, his mother's power was still an influence on his life. _"Why now? What caused her to interfere now?" _he wondered. He turned on the radio, moving the volume up to drown out the thoughts in his head. As soon as he got back to the hotel, he laid down and tried to sleep, but to no avail. Klaus thought of Marina and wished she were here with him. How easy it would have been to compel her to spend the night with him, but he had a feeling it would be only a matter of time before she would do so willingly. There was something rare about her, yet familiar. All he knew was that he couldn't wait to be with her again. She made him feel wanted. He closed his eyes and finally fell asleep.

Marina had fallen asleep on the couch with the television on. The morning news flashed a bulletin about three victims found in the park, not too far from her neighborhood. _"That explains all the noise last night..." _She quickly turned it off and looked at the clock. It was a little past nine. She jumped up and ran to the bathroom to get in the shower. As the water beat down on her, she inhaled the exotic scent of her shower gel and lost herself for a moment in relaxation. It was gloomy outside and the forecast said it was going to rain. So, she settled on a pair of tight jeans, a form-fitting blouse, and her high-heeled boots. After finishing her hair and makeup, she looked around her apartment and was disgusted. It was way past time to clean. She picked up all the books and empty plates that were lying around, and ran the vacuum cleaner. The last thing she wanted was for Klaus to think she was a slob. _"Someday, I'll have a maid so I won't have to do all this crap." _she thought to herself. There was a knock at the door and Marina ran to open it. It was him.

"Hello, Marina."

Marina smiled. "Hello, Klaus. Please, come in."

Klaus paused slightly, then entered slowly over the threshold, just to be sure her invitation worked to break the "vampires cannot enter" barrier. He looked around her apartment, immediately noticing that the few decorations she had featured flowers or floral designs. It was a very feminine environment, which made Marina all the more attractive to him.

"Would you like to sit down?" She motioned towards the sofa.

"Only if you sit next to me." He grinned mischievously.

She took his hand and led him to the sofa, where they both sat very close together. Still holding hands, she asked, "how did you sleep last night?"

Flashes of his incident in the park came to mind, but he pushed the thoughts away. "I would have slept better had you been with me."

Marina slightly blushed, but quickly recovered. "I had a strange dream. I was living in the early 1900's. Isn't that weird?"

Klaus's smile slowly faded as he was reminded of Elizabeth. _"It has to be a coincidence." _He forced the memory from his mind. "Well, I hope it was a pleasant dream."

"No, actually. It was unsettling. Anyway, sorry I brought it up. I just want to forget about it." She smiled and asked, "what did you want to do today?"

"Well, first thing's first. I must say I missed you after I left last night."

Marina beamed. "I missed you, too."

He leaned over and kissed her. His lips were so soft and gentle. Klaus whispered in her ear, "You look lovely today, by the way."

"I was hoping you'd like it."

"You're wearing a floral scent - orchids, perhaps?"

"Yes, I am."

"Orchids have such an intoxicating scent."

His words were laced with seduction, causing Marina's thoughts to travel into uncharted territory. She wondered if he knew what she was thinking.

He secretly enjoyed making her squirm. "Am I making you uncomfortable, Love?"

"No, of course not. I've spent a lot of time on my studies, and work, and haven't made a lot of time for dating. I guess I'm out of practice when it comes to attractive men giving me this much attention."

"You find me attractive?" Klaus was teasing her.

"You know I do. I've probably made a fool of myself."

"Of course not, Love. Whenever you're ready. I can wait forever if I have to."

They decided to spend the day touring local museums, since the dark clouds looming overhead threatened to drop rain at any moment. Marina was amazed that Klaus knew so much about history that it was as if he had lived it. He seemed to know something about every display they visited. She appreciated his intelligence and his powerful presence that seemed to demand respect from everyone that crossed his path. As they stepped out of the museum, a gentle rain began to fall.

"You don't mind a little rain, do you?" He asked.

"Not at all," she smiled.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her, gently exploring her soft lips and savoring the taste of her peach-flavored lip gloss. She placed her hands in his hair, gently weaving her fingers through the wet strands. He moved his kisses down to her neck, pressing his tongue against her pulse and feeling the blood lust take over. He opened his mouth as his fangs began to extend. The scent of the rain on her skin blended with the orchid scent she wore, enhancing it and overwhelming his senses. His desire not only for her blood, but her body began to overtake his self-control. His fang grazed her neck, creating a very small wound - just enough to bleed. He eagerly tasted the blood and savored it. Then, he realized it tasted familiar. It was Elizabeth's blood. Klaus stopped and looked into Marina's eyes.

She was unaware of the fact she was bleeding. Her desire for him took control of her mind and she enjoyed the feel of his lips on her. She was disappointed when he stopped. The look on his face scared her. His eyes seemed strange, as if a darkening appeared under his lower lashes. "Klaus? What's wrong?"

"Elizabeth!" He growled.

Marina was frightened. "Who? What are you talking about?" The rain became heavier, masking the strange markings that seemed to appear around his eyes.

He watched her through the heavy downpour. She had to be a descendant, but Elizabeth didn't have any children that he knew of. "_The bitch must have lied about that, too." _The initial fury quickly died down as he saw the fear in Marina's eyes. "Please forgive me, Marina. You reminded me of my last...girlfriend." He realized how lame that sounded, but he wasn't sure how to explain himself.

Marina was confused. Then, she felt a little angry. "Klaus, I think you should take me home now."

He paused, suddenly at a loss for words. "Of course, Love. I understand."

He drove back to her apartment. "I am sorry, Marina."

Before she exited the car, she took out a small notepad and wrote her phone number down. Handing it to him, she said, "Call me when you've gotten your ex out of your system." She quickly left him and went inside, slamming the front door. _"Really? What the hell was that!" _She was very disappointed and a bit sickened. Then, her reflection in the mirror caught her attention. There was a small trickle of blood on her neck. _"The bastard actually bit me? He is a psycho after all."_


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

Klaus shouted in frustration as he slammed his fist on the steering wheel. Then, in a calm, deadly voice, he spoke. "If you can hear me, Mother, I want to know what you have done."

There was a moment of silence before Esther's voice filled his head. _"You are correct, Nicklaus. Marina is Elizabeth's descendant. In your blinding rage, you failed to ensure that Elizabeth actually died. Yes, you did kill her, but I brought her back."_

Klaus was in shock. "Why the hell would you do that?"

_"I saved her life, despite her deceitful nature, but, as you know, there is always a price to be paid when bringing someone back from the dead. There is a curse on her bloodline. The power of three: one female child per generation. Once their destiny is fulfilled, then the curse will be broken and, if all goes as planned, my goal will be achieved."_

"What kind of curse? What have you done?"

_"All will be revealed in due time. You still must learn self-control or else you will always be alone." _Then, there was silence.

"Damn you, Mother!" He decided to stop at the first bar he passed. A good stiff drink was exactly what he needed.

The answering machine light was blinking as Marina stepped into her bedroom, having cleaned up the little wound on her neck. She was trying to decide what she was more pissed off about - the fact he had bitten her or the fact he freaked out on her and thought she was his ex. Pressing the button on the machine revealed 2 messages. The first was from Ashley and the second was from Sam. He had never called her before. He said he was having trouble with his report for tomorrow and wanted help. She called Ashley first and told her all about Klaus.

"Wow! He does have ex-issues!"

"I know! It came out of the blue. We were having such a nice, romantic kiss in the rain and that's when he must have bit me and accused me of being some chick named Elizabeth!"

"Kinky! Maybe he's a vampire and all he wants you for is your blood!"

Marina laughed. "You're hilarious. Anyway, I told him to call me when he's over this Elizabeth person. Did Sam call you, too, by the way?"

"No, he didn't. I've noticed him making eyes at you. The other day, you leaned over to pick something up and he couldn't stop staring at your ass."

"No way. Really?"

"Oh, yes. He's not the best at being subtle."

"I guess I'll call him and see what he needs help with."

"Okay. See you in class Monday."

"See ya. Bye."

She hung up and called Sam.

"Hi Marina. I'm really stuck on this report. Can we meet up tomorrow sometime?"

She thought it over. _"If he's interested, maybe I should give him a chance. Perhaps he won't be as immature when it's just the two of us." _"How about we meet at Starbucks tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Thanks!"

"No problem." She hung up and went to her kitchen to make some dinner. Afterwards, she finished her report for class and watched the late evening news after she got dressed for bed. They reported on the victims from the park, stating that they all had bites on their necks. Thankfully, they were all found alive and were recovering in the hospital. None of them could identify the culprit. A chill came over Marina. _"What a weird coincidence."_ She felt strange about everything that had happened as she fell into an unsettling sleep.

It was the same dream again, except there was a woman's voice speaking to her after the dark-haired gentleman began twirling her around the dance floor. Swirls of colored baubles seemed to hang in the air as she spun around. "You have a destiny to fulfill, Marina. Heed your grandmother's advice, for she learned it from her mother, your great-grandmother Elizabeth." Marina bolted up in her bed, breathing heavily with fear. Her mind was racing. She went to her bookshelf and pulled out her baby book. The page with the family tree showed her great-grandmother's photo. Her name was Elizabeth Britten. There were some similarities in their features, but nothing out of the ordinary. Elizabeth was very beautiful. _"No way, this is too weird. My imagination is getting the best of me."_ She went to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of White Zinfandel from the refrigerator. Two glasses was all she needed to make her sleepy again.

Klaus made his way back to the hotel after drinking rather heavily all evening. He wasn't ready to give up on Marina. He had to find her and come up with some kind of explanation. His mother's words haunted him. What was she talking about, the power of three? What kind of curse? He had to find out. He grabbed the phone and started dialing. Once the familiar voice picked up on the other line, Klaus simply said, "I need you to find out where that handy little witch has run off to. Get me in touch with her and I'll make it worth your while."


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

Marina met Sam at Starbucks as planned. He was kinda cute, she guessed, but he definitely didn't have the intelligence that Klaus had, nor the overwhelming sex appeal. Klaus exuded a power that excited her. She tried hard not to think of him as they poured over Sam's report and made multiple corrections. _"This guy really is lost," _she thought to herself. They sat close together in a booth in the corner, which made Marina a little uncomfortable. He was giving off some subtle signals, but she really couldn't get herself interested. As they studied their notes, Marina could feel Klaus's presence before she even looked up to see him walking towards them.

"Good morning, Marina. How are you?"

She forced a smile, still slightly angry about the previous day's events. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm glad I ran into you. I think we need to have a little chat."

"Well, Klaus, I am busy helping Sam with his report."

Klaus leaned over the table and looked at Sam. "I think you've done enough with that report, Mate. You should be going now." Sam looked back at him blankly, then silently gathered his things and left without saying a word to Marina.

"Sam? Sam?" She called after him, but he didn't acknowledge her. She turned to Klaus, who had sat down in Sam's spot. "What the hell?"

"Marina, I need to explain about yesterday..."

"Explain why you bit me first!" She lowered her voice to a loud whisper.

"Yes, I do owe you an explanation. Perhaps we should step outside."

"Why? Are you afraid I'll cause a scene or have you arrested for assault?"

Klaus took a deep breath. "Just come with me and I will explain everything. I just need you to trust me." He extended his hand to her. She reluctantly took it and he helped her out of the booth. They stepped outside and walked to a secluded area in the nearby alley. The sky was overcast and it looked as if it would rain at any moment. Marina leaned against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Alright. I'm ready to listen. Go ahead."

"Before I explain anything, I want you to know how I feel." He stepped closer to her and reached out to stroke her cheek. "You are my destiny. I knew it the moment I saw you. I know you are going to think this is absurd, but I want to be with you - in every way possible."

Marina was stunned. She closed her eyes at his touch, feeling an instant connection to him that she couldn't explain. Her mind was telling her that it was crazy. They had just met, but somehow, she knew what he spoke of was true. She stared into his eyes and realized that she wanted to believe everything he said. She didn't want to be mad at him, or afraid of him. She wanted him, whether it made sense or not.

Noticing her reaction, he seized the opportunity and pulled her into a passionate kiss. She didn't fight him. After a moment, she pulled away just enough to look him.

"Please tell me you're not a psycho," she said quietly as she stared into his eyes.

Klaus laughed softly. "It depends on who you ask, Love. Would you believe me if I told you I'm a vampire?"

She thought it over as she searched his face to see if he was serious. "A daywalker?"

"I'm a hybrid - the only one in the world. Other vampires have to wear a ring to survive in the sun. I'm lucky in that sense."

"I don't understand. What's a hybrid?"

"My mother, Esther, was a witch who had an affair with a werewolf." He continued on to explain how he and his siblings were turned into vampires.

"This is all so...fantastic." Marina wanted to say that this was all ridiculous, but the strange dreams led her to believe otherwise. Rain started to fall, so she suggested they continue their conversation in the car.

Klaus didn't hesitate to follow her. They sat down inside the Taurus and continued their conversation.

"The people in the park the other night - that was you, wasn't it?"

"Yes. Something went wrong. I would never be that careless. I believe my mother did something to me the night I attacked those people. She's trying to teach me a lesson, or some such nonsense."

"She's messing with me, too, isn't she? That's why my dreams have been so strange."

"I believe so."

"You called me Elizabeth yesterday. I know this sounds crazy, but her name was mentioned in my dream last night. I feel as if you are the only one that can explain that to me. Am I right?"

"Probably."

"Now, Elizabeth was my great-grandmother. Elizabeth Britten. Is that who you were referring to yesterday?"

"Yes."

"You were in love with my great-grandmother? What happened?"

"She slept with my brother, Kol."

Marina was shocked. "She cheated on you with your brother? What did you do?"

"I lost my temper. I tried to kill them."

She gasped. "You didn't, did you?"

He explained the daggering of Kol and his other siblings. He then explained how he thought he had killed Elizabeth, but found out otherwise from his mother.

"So, your mother saved her life. I wonder why?"

"I don't know, Love. My mother always had a hidden agenda. I'm sure she will reveal it to us when she feels like cooperating."

"Well, maybe she just wants to make sure her son is with the right woman."

Klaus smiled at her and took her hand. "Whether I have her approval or not, I do want to be with you, if you'll have me."

Marina smiled back, but hesitated as she tried to process the amazing revelations made to her. _"I can't believe this. All this time there were supernatural forces in the world that I was unaware of, and I happen to be falling in love with one." _"Klaus, I'm not sure what to think. Will I be risking my life if I stay with you?"

"Marina, I can control this creature inside me. I promise you that. Yesterday, I could have let it consume me and I could have ripped your throat open. I want you to feel safe with me. You truly are a rare find in all the years I have been alive, searching for someone to spend my life with. I would never hurt you. Trust me."

Her thoughts traveled back to the many Dracula movies she had seen and remembered that vampires could use the power of persuasion. She also wondered about what Klaus did to Sam. "Are you using a persuasion spell on me right now?"

"No. I can, if I choose to. It's called compelling."

"Is that what you did to Sam?"

"If you could call it that. I barely made an effort."

"Would I know if you're compelling me?"

"No. However, I want you to trust me, so I am going to give you something to ease your fears."

He pulled out a black velvet bag and handed it to her. She reached inside and pulled out a ring. It was silver with an oval design. It looked as if the top was hollow.

"There is a substance inside called vervain. As long as you wear it, I cannot compel you." He carefully opened the top of the ring and touched the vervain inside. His finger started to smoke. Marina gasped.

"This vervain hurts you?"

"You could say it's like the holy water that you've seen in movies. It burns."

She examined his finger and saw the red mark the vervain left. Then, she watched it heal before her eyes. "You are telling me the truth."

He looked at her with an earnest expression. "I want so much for you to trust me and I want so much to earn your love."

She looked into his eyes and felt powerless to resist his charms. The look of desire in his eyes burned through to her soul as she yearned to feel his hands on her body. She was falling for him and didn't want to think any more. "Come back to my apartment with me."

He followed her inside and as soon as she shut the door, they looked into each other's eyes.

Reading her body language, Klaus grabbed her into his embrace and delivered punishing, passionate kisses on her lips. He felt her melt into his arms, so he tightened his grip on her to keep her upright. He pushed her jacket off, tossing it onto the sofa. She did the same with his jacket. They made their way towards the bedroom. In between kisses, he asked her, "Is this your first time, Love?"

"Not exactly. I hope that doesn't disappoint you."

"No. I can promise you that you won't be disappointed with me."

"You are confident, aren't you?" she teased.

"You wouldn't want me any other way," he teased back. Once they reached her bedroom, he grabbed her and continued his heated kisses. He placed his hands on her blouse and began unbuttoning it, his nimble fingers finishing in no time. He pushed the blouse off, then ran his hands over her satin bra, placing soft kisses on her bosom.

Marina closed her eyes as his hands roamed her body. She began to work on unbuttoning his shirt, but he quickly took over and had it off in no time. She placed her hands on his chest, enjoying the feel of his bare torso. The ecstasy she began to feel was so much more intense than anything she had ever felt before.

Her bra came off in a flash, then her jeans. He leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You are absolutely beautiful, Love. Are you ready to give yourself to me?"

"Yes! I want you so much. Please!"

He grabbed her panties and quickly removed them. Then, he had the rest of his clothing off before she could blink. He threw her down on the bed with himself on top. He planted kisses all over her body, taking extra time at her breasts, suckling her nipples until she moaned with pleasure. He loved the feel of her soft, warm skin. As he possessed her lips once again, he reached down and touched her warm center, finding the source of her pleasure and stroked it repeatedly with superhuman speed.

She gasped in response to the intense sensation she experienced as he touched her. As her body was building to orgasm, he stopped and placed his finger inside her, stroking the inside of her opening. She grabbed her pillow, wondering how long the torment was to continue before he would satisfy her intense need.

He felt she was ready. He plunged into her eagerly and began thrusting. Her warm tightness felt so inviting to him. The sensations he felt were so strong that he had to concentrate to keep from coming too soon. The blood lust was on the rise, but he was able to keep it in check. He could tell she was enjoying his thrusts, so he wanted to make it last as long as possible.

She moaned with each thrust. The pleasure was so incredible. She could feel his power emanate through every part of him that touched her. As he increased his speed, she urged him to continue, anxious to feel him come within her. When the moment finally came, she clutched his back and held him as he shuddered with his release.

He exploded within her and experienced one of the most intense releases he had ever felt. He wanted her to feel the same. He quickly moved his hand back down to where it was before, pleasuring her with his fingers at the rapid speed only a vampire could perform. It wasn't long before she screamed out as her intense orgasm racked her body with spasms. He held her tight against him until the waves of pleasure subsided.

It took a while for her to return from the amazing heights his body had taken her. She stroked his hair as he rested his head on her shoulder. "You've had a lot of experience, haven't you?"

"Try hundreds of years."

"How could I not love you after a performance like that?"

He chuckled. "Well, Love, I hope that you want me for more than just sex."

She laughed in response, then kissed his forehead lovingly. "I don't understand any of this, but I think I'm in love with you."

Klaus propped himself up and looked down at her. He traced his finger across her lips and smiled dreamily. "There's nothing to understand, Love. All you have to know is that I love you." He kissed her, then pulled her into his embrace.

All thoughts of witches, vampires, and werewolves were forced out of Marina's mind as she drifted off to sleep in Klaus's arms.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

It was mid-afternoon when they awoke. Marina looked up at Klaus and kissed him lovingly. "Klaus?"

He opened his eyes and smiled when he saw Marina's big brown eyes looking up at him. "Are you alright, Love?"

She smiled and kissed him again. "I'm perfect. Are you alright?"

"Never better." He pressed his lips to hers, deepening the kiss and running his fingers through her hair.

Marina felt so content being with him. Then, she wondered about the brothers and sister in New Orleans. She gently eased out of the kiss and asked, "Tell me more about your siblings. I know that they hurt you very deeply, but surely you don't plan to keep them there forever, right?"

"I'm sure they will need to serve a purpose at some point. Then, I'll release them."

"I can't even begin to fathom relationships in the supernatural world, but I'm afraid to ask how many humans you've killed."

"Hundreds, probably."

"Oh." She didn't know what to say.

"If it puts your mind at ease, I mostly take advantage of blood bags from hospitals and medical facilities. Keep in mind that those haven't always existed in this world. Then, there were the rare times that I had to defend myself against humans - those that wanted to hunt us."

She thought about what he said and imagined there were situations when he had to defend himself and had to resort to the "kill or be killed" scenario. An image of vampire hunters came to mind, hunting down Klaus and his family. Marina looked at him. "Did you just share a thought with me?"

He smiled. "I wasn't sure it would work."

"How did you do that?"

"One of my many talents."

She closed her eyes and he shared more of his memories with her. "Your family - that's all you've had all these years. You're afraid to be alone. That's your motivation for everything you do, isn't it?"

He looked into her trusting eyes and felt an overwhelming wave of love for her sweep over him. She understood him in a way no one else had. She would never leave him willingly. That's what he wanted.

"I love you." Klaus kissed her, then got up to retrieve his clothes.

Marina stretched and reluctantly got up. "Are you hungry? Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No, Love. I better go back to my hotel and prepare for my presentation tomorrow."

"Okay. I need to do some more homework anyway." She grabbed her bathrobe and put it on. Her head was swimming with the events of the day. Marina walked him to the front door after he was dressed. "Klaus? I can't wait to see you again."

He grinned and placed his hands on her face as he kissed her. "See you tomorrow, Love."

Klaus stepped into his hotel room to find a beautiful blonde seated on the loveseat, filing her nails. "Rebekah."

"It's about time you came home, Nick. I was starting to worry that you'd forgotten about my visit."

"I was not expecting you until tomorrow, dear Sister."

"I was bored. I had to get out of that dirty little town."

"New Orleans is hardly little."

"What have you been doing, or should I say, _who _have you been doing, hmmm?"

"It's none of your concern." He watched Rebekah rifling through the books on top of the desk.

"A university? Are you serious? My goodness, Nick, just when I thought you couldn't be more dull..."

"Are you going to just hurl insults at me or did you bring what I asked for?"

"Now before we get to that, Big Brother, I have had enough of babysitting the staked corpses of our brothers and want to be able to come and go as I please!"

"I don't need this right now, Rebekah. I've met someone and I don't fancy your interfering."

"Oh, really? Let me guess: it's some stupid young college girl who has a crush on you and you're going to indulge her for, say, a week or two, then dispose of her when you've had your fun."

Klaus sighed in exasperation. "You think you know me that well, do you?"

"Well, dear Brother, you've been around. The last 'relationship' was Elizabeth, is that right? That ended well."

"Don't utter another word about Elizabeth!"

"You're just jealous that Kol was a better lover than you."

He grabbed Rebekah by the neck. "I warned you to not utter another word!"

"Okay, Nick, let me go!" He released her and she rubbed her neck where his grip had been. "I hit a nerve, didn't I?"

Klaus pulled out his wallet and grabbed a wad of hundred-dollar bills. "Here, take this and go back home."

She took the money and put it in her purse, which was sitting on the loveseat. She pulled out an old book and handed it to him. "Here. This is what you wanted, right?"

It was one of Esther's spell books, with a slip of paper sticking out of the front cover containing a name and phone number. "Thank you, Rebekah. Now, is there anything else?"

"No. I think I'll get my own room and leave in the morning. I may as well take in the sights and sounds of lovely Seattle while I'm here." She kissed his cheek, then left.

He went to the hotel phone and dialed the front desk. "Yes, this is Nicklaus Mikaelson in room 214. I need you to contact the most expensive florist in town and have 2 dozen white orchids delivered to Miss Marina Bell tonight." He gave the front desk clerk her address, a message, and offered her a sizable tip for her trouble. She eagerly accepted the offer.

Marina spent the afternoon researching the facts that Klaus had given her about his past. She had been on the internet for hours and had found very little. There was a knock at the door soon after she had finished her dinner. She immediately thought that it was Klaus, so she flung the door open without hesitating. The heavenly scent of fresh orchids greeted her as Marina saw a delivery man standing on her doorstep holding a large vase. She graciously accepted them and closed the door. The card said, "To my beautiful Marina - you have my heart for all eternity." It was the most romantic note she had ever received. The scent of the orchids filled the room as she ran over to the phone to call him.

"Klaus, they are so beautiful. Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Love. I couldn't stop thinking of you."

"No one has ever done something like this for me. I love you."

"I love you."

"Well, I'll see you in the morning."

"Sweet dreams, Love. I'll try to persuade Mother to let you have a peaceful night's rest."

Marina laughed. "I appreciate that. Good night."

"Good night." They both hung up.

She got ready for bed, then moved the vase of orchids into her bedroom so that she could look at them and inhale their wonderful fragrance. Laying down on her pillow, Marina whispered, "Good night, Esther."


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

Klaus sighed as he hung up with Marina. The first thought that came to mind was to prevent anything from taking her away from him. He had to find out more about this curse and do whatever he had to do to cure her or protect her. He picked up the phone and dialed the number on the slip of paper inside his mother's spell book. It rang three times before a woman with a southern accent answered.

"Hello?"

"Paulette. It's been a long time."

"Klaus. Yes, it has. What do you want?"

"Now, is that any way to talk to your old lover?"

"I'd hardly call you that. We slept together once and that was enough for me."

"Oh, come on now, Love. You enjoyed every minute of it."

"It was a bit hard to forget that you used me to get your hands on my jar of white oak tree ash."

"Well, you could hardly blame me for wanting to keep my leverage, after everything my siblings had done to me."

"And you were completely innocent, of course."

"Ah, I have missed your honesty, Love. Now, I need you to meet me tomorrow morning. I have my mother's spell book and you are going to help me decipher it."

"Why should I help you?"

Klaus's voice turned deadly cold. "How is your brother these days? If I recall, he's still in hiding somewhere in Canada, right?"

She was silent for a moment. "Where do you want me to meet you?"

"Meet me in the lobby of the hotel at nine tomorrow morning." He gave her the address and hung up. He then changed and got ready to turn in for the night. Klaus sat up in bed, flipping through his mother's spell book, looking for anything that would help him understand Marina's curse.

* * *

The dream came to her again, but this time it was soothing and very ethereal. Esther sat with her and held her hand. She looked as if she had stepped out of time, wearing a long medieval style dress and her long blond hair partially tied back. "Do you know why you were drawn to my son Nicklaus?"

"No, I don't. It all happened so quickly."

"You are part of the supernatural realm, just as we are. All supernatural entities have a natural attraction to each other. He has fallen in love with you."

"Yes, and I have fallen in love with him, but I'm not supernatural."

"Oh, yes you are."

"What does that mean?"

"You must first locate this amulet." Esther held up her hand and a holographic image of the amulet formulated in space. It was a round silver medallion with two embedded stones, and an open spot for a third. "I created it when I saved Elizabeth's life to serve as an anchor in this world, to hold you all to your destiny. Once you hold it in your hands, you will know what to do."

"What happens if I don't find it?"

"Your life will end."

"When?"

"Three years from the day your path crossed with another supernatural being - three years from the day you met my son."

"Where do I find it?"

"Just as the sun can guide you, so can the moon..."

Marina woke with a start and looked at the clock. It was almost time for her to get up and go to work. She wiped the sweat from her brow and worked to catch her breath. _"Me? Supernatural? I'm going to die if I don't find this medallion?"_ She grabbed her phone and called Klaus, trying to calm herself.

"Good morning, Love."

"Esther said I was going to die if I don't find the medallion!" She tried not to let her voice waiver, but she was on the verge of tears and couldn't help it.

Klaus was silent for a moment. "She's lying. That's impossible. I won't allow anything to happen to you." The fury was beginning to build inside him.

"She said I have three years to find a medallion she created when she saved my great-grandmother or I will die."

"Then, I will make sure we find it. Trust me and go about your day. I'll see you later and I'll deal with my mother."

She finally relaxed a little. "Okay. I'll try not to worry. I love you, Klaus."

He closed his eyes and smiled to himself. "I love you."

* * *

It was difficult for Marina to concentrate as she stared at the computer on her desk at work. Klaus was in her every thought, along with the mysterious medallion she was supposed to find.

"Marina? Are you finished with that report yet? It's almost time for you to go." It was Margaret, her boss.

"I'm sorry, Margaret. I'm having some trouble concentrating today."

"So I noticed. If I didn't know better, I would say there is a new man in your life." Margaret pulled up a chair and sat next to her. The rotund older woman with a young attitude wore her reading glasses on the end of her nose and looked eagerly at her. "Okay, Honey. Spill!"

She smiled as she thought of him. "What can I say? He's extremely charming, handsome, intelligent, and rich. I'm crazy about him."

"Well, you must have had some weekend!"

"It feels like I've known him my whole life..."

* * *

Klaus waited in the lobby of the hotel. Paulette walked in and sat down next to him. Her massive dark curls fell over her eyes, partially masking the cold glare she gave him.

"Here." He handed her the ancient book. She took it and began to thumb through it carefully. "I looked through it last night and I can barely read it."

"Well, it's a shame none of Esther's genes passed to you, otherwise, you would be able to understand what's in this book."

"That is why I need your help, Dear."

"What is it that you hope to achieve? Why did you call me?"

"First of all, I need to know what kind of curse my mother put on Elizabeth when she brought her back from the dead."

"She most likely created an anchor of some sort if she brought her back from the other realm."

"A medallion, perhaps?"

Paulette looked at him. "Yes, very possible. I'm going to need time to look through this book. I may have to communicate directly with Esther to find out. What else do you want to know?"

"My dear mother made me feel as if I was to turn. I reacted as if I had, but the physical transformation never occurred."

Paulette, still flipping through the book, casually replied, "how do you know it was Esther?"

"Who else would it be?"

"She's not the only one that can influence you."

Klaus, through gritted teeth, demanded, "You'd better explain!"

"Klaus, do you realize how many witches you have pissed off all these years?"

He blinked in acknowledgement, then gave her a surly smile. "You are going to help me with this, or I will put an end to your brother's pitiful life. Are we agreed?"

Paulette swallowed, then nodded in agreement.

"You'd better be going, Love. I have things to do today." He kissed her on the cheek and she got up and left.


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

Marina arrived to World History early and was one of the first to sit down. She sat near the front, eager to hear Klaus's presentation. Soon, Ashley, Sam, and Brandon sat next to her. She turned to Sam and asked, "Are you okay?"

He looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay! I have no idea why I got up and left yesterday. We were done, right?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Yeah, we were done."

Within minutes, Professor Hale made his entrance with Klaus. "Good morning, class. I have a guest lecturer today. This is Nicklaus Mikaelson, a world traveler and expert on the period of World History we have been studying this past week - the Tudors of England. I am now going to turn it over to Mr. Mikaelson."

"Thank you, Professor. Let's begin with the military conflicts from 1495 to 1604. Now, I'm going to present a lot of information, so I suggest you pay attention." He instantly had command of the room. He began a thorough explanation of the building of the Royal Navy, the French conflict of 1557, relations with Spain, and the rise of Queen Elizabeth I.

Once class was over and the students began to disperse, Marina went up to Klaus. "You really know your history."

"Yes, well, I am an expert."

She grinned in response. "I have to go to my next class."

_"Come to my hotel later." _He used his telepathic ability again.

_"I'll be there."_

He watched her leave, then looked around to make sure the room was empty. Looking deep into Professor Hale's eyes, he spoke quietly to him. "You are also a world traveller, like myself. You have also studied ancient religions and witchcraft. When I ask for your assistance, you will be ready. Do you understand?"

Professor Hale nodded in acceptance, entranced.

"Good. I'll be in touch." Klaus left campus and headed to the most upscale shopping district in the area. As he made his way to the special occasion gowns, a familiar face matched his stride as he walked. He knew who it was without looking at her.

"Rebekah. You're still here."

"I don't always listen to you, Nick. You know that."

He couldn't help but laugh. "You were always a stubborn little girl."

"Now, you wouldn't be shopping for your little girlfriend, would you?"

"So what if I am? I want her to have the best."

"Where do you plan to go, all spiffed up?"

"There is a charity ball being held at the hotel this weekend."

"Well, what a coincidence. I've been invited to go as well."

"You certainly don't waste any time finding a new boyfriend. I hope this one is at least old enough to vote."

"Ha, ha. You're so funny." They both started looking through the racks. She pulled out a short pink mini-dress that left little to the imagination and held it up to her. "I think I like this one."

"Really, Rebekah. When are you going to outgrow the slutty look?"

"I didn't ask for your opinion. So, this girl that has captured your heart - does she have a name?"

"Marina."

"Describe her to me so I can help you pick out a dress for her."

"She's exquisitely beautiful."

"Well, obviously you'd go for an attractive girl. Give me her vitals, like hair color and eye color."

"Her hair is a dark brown with a touch of red. Her eyes are brown."

"That's better." She rapidly rifled through the racks, then stopped. "Here. This is the one."

She handed him an emerald green ball gown with diamond accents and black trim. Klaus agreed that it was perfect for her. "Yes, this is the one."

"Your welcome."

Klaus reluctantly acknowledged her help. "Thank you, Rebekah."

"Now, don't forget shoes and jewelry to go with it. Scott is getting off work soon and I promised I'd meet him."

"Please tell me he has a dignified job."

"Try a Washington State Representative."

"Oh, a politician! A perfect choice for someone who values honesty from her suitors! Bravo, Sister!"

"I'm leaving. I will see you at the ball." She stormed off as Klaus enjoyed his little verbal victory.

He continued his shopping and arranged to have everything delivered to the hotel. His final stop was the jeweler, who sold him a diamond and emerald necklace with matching earrings and bracelet.

Marina arrived at the hotel and stepped into the lobby. Klaus was waiting for her there, holding a red rose. He offered it to her. She smiled and accepted it, inhaling the lovely fragrance. Then, she eagerly put her arms around him and held him tight. "You really are a romantic."

"It takes one to know one."

She laughed and kissed him passionately. "So, what are we doing first?"

"I've arranged for a private dinner on the terrace. Shall we?" He offered his arm to her. She took it and they boarded the elevator to the top floor, where they were seated on the terrace overlooking the lake. It was a breathtaking view.

The waiter brought a bottle of French champagne and poured it in two glasses. "You've got this all planned, don't you?"

"I've taken care of everything. You have nothing to worry about. I want you to simply enjoy the evening with me. No talk of dreams or curses, just you and me."

"I can do that." They enjoyed their first glass of champagne, then started on their appetizer of fried calamari. "Are there any foods that you don't care for?"

"I've never cared for frog's legs, to be honest."

"I've never had them, but I don't think I would like them either. Was Esther a good cook?"

"All women were expected to cook back in those days, and she was no exception. She made good soups. That's all I can recall. Now, Rebekah was a terrible cook. When it was her turn to make dinner, I usually found a way to be absent. When she would see me the next day, she would scold me and tell me that I was a terrible brother."

Marina laughed. "When can I meet Rebekah?"

"Well, it turns out that you will be meeting her soon, if you accept my invitation to attend the charity ball this weekend."

"Oh, the charity ball on the sign down in the lobby?"

"Yes. It is a formal affair and I would love to be your escort."

"I would love to! I've always wanted to go to a ball. I know this is silly, but Cinderella was my favorite movie when I was little."

"Well, I promise to make it a night you won't forget."

The waiter took away their appetizer plates and brought their salads and main course of lobster tail and filet mignon with asparagus on the side. "Klaus! You are really spoiling me!"

"You're worth it, my love."

She reached over and took his hand. "I can't believe I'm here with you! It doesn't seem possible that I could love someone so much and not be afraid to say it. It really does feel like I've known you forever."

He looked down at her hand holding his and smiled. "You've completely captured my heart. I never thought I would be willing to give it up so easily. You are the most charming and beautiful woman I have ever met and I never want to lose you." He got up from his seat and kissed her tenderly. "Now, let's enjoy the rest of our dinner."

The final course of the meal was a dark chocolate cake with chocolate ganache drizzled over the top, which was extremely delicious and rich. Marina was very full, but happy. She enjoyed being spoiled like this and treated like royalty. Klaus escorted her to his room and presented her with a stack of boxes, which he placed on the desk. "What did you do?" She eagerly opened the first box and pulled out the emerald green ball gown. All she could do was gasp as she ran her hands over the satin material. "It's so beautiful! I can't wait to wear it!"

"You're not finished yet."

She then opened another box that contained a pair of black shoes and a purse that accented the dress perfectly. The next box contained a black mink stole. "This had to cost a fortune! I don't know if I can accept all this!"

"I insist. The important thing is: do you like them?"

"Of course! Yes!"

"Then, they were meant to be yours. Now, please continue."

The next box contained the diamond and emerald jewelry. "Klaus, I can't even imagine how many carats are in these! They are gorgeous!"

"One more."

The last box contained a black lace corset with stockings. She looked at Klaus and said, "I was wondering when I'd get to the lingerie."

"You have a complete wardrobe for the ball."

"Do you have a complete wardrobe for the ball?"

"Yes, I do." He went over to his closet and showed her his clothes.

"Very nice! We are going to be the best looking couple there!"

Klaus smiled at her, then pressed his lips to hers, placing his hands around her face. Her hands covered his as she returned his kiss. The intensity between them increased as his hands began to roam her body, gently resting on her breasts. Then, he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. Gently pulling away one side of her blouse, he planted searing kisses along her collarbone, then down to the top of her bosom.

She helped him with the buttons on her blouse and raised up to remove it completely. Then, she unzipped her skirt and slid it off, kicking it to the floor. She started to sit up, but Klaus placed his fingers gingerly on her chest, pushing her back down. Her breathing began to increase, anticipating his next move.

He simply stared at her with lust in his eyes, lightly running his hands over her thighs as he sat next to her. "Let me gaze upon you, just for a moment. You have no idea how amazing you look right now." The darkening below his eyes began and the lust for her blood was in his senses. He wanted her in every way possible.

She saw his eyes and felt a sudden terror. No words came to her as she started to slide back in the bed. His hand clamped onto her thigh, stopping her retreat, then moved between her legs, stroking her through her lacy panties and instantly turned her fear into ecstasy. When she felt as if she could take no more, she begged him to make love to her.

He raised her up into his arms and whispered to her, "Will you allow me to drink from you?"

She was afraid at first, but realized that it was pleasurable to him. "It won't hurt too much, will it?"

"I'll be gentle, Love. So gentle." He kissed her neck and inched toward her vein. Pressing his tongue against his target, he held her head in place as he began to strike. Her quiet scream excited him as he penetrated her with his fangs. He stroked her hair over and over as he sucked the wound, then eased himself away, savoring the taste of her. His sexual desire for her took hold and caused him to undress quickly to relieve the strain on his manhood.

The pain of his bite was intense at first, but quickly turned to a pleasure that she didn't expect. She closed her eyes as he drank her blood, feeling a new bond with him that had not existed before. It felt as if their hearts were in sync and the rising sexual tension was becoming too much to bear. She could feel him stop, then saw the desire in his eyes as he quickly stripped. The excitement of seeing his toned body coming towards her, ready to penetrate her, was so intense that Marina pulled off her bra and panties as quickly as she could. She spread her legs, eagerly anticipating him. The first thrust was powerful, causing her to scream out as she held on to his shoulders. He held her thighs as he delivered more powerful thrusts. She pressed her lower body to his in rhythm with his movements. His lips suckled at her breast while his tongue teased her nipple, bringing her closer to climax.

"You are going to come with me. I can feel you're close." He increased his speed, sucking harder on her nipple and rubbing the other with his hand. He adjusted his position, allowing him to access her sensitive mound with each final thrust.

"Oh, God!" She breathed heavier as her climax was about to collide with his. The pleasure finally reached its peak and the most intense waves of orgasm washed over her. They held tight to each other as the pleasure died down.

Klaus rolled over and pulled her onto him. He stroked her back and breathed in the scent of her hair. He felt extremely happy and he knew she did, too.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

_"Marina. It is almost time for your journey to begin. There is another powerful being that is searching for the amulet - I can sense it. You must find the amulet soon, or it will fall into the wrong hands and your life will be in danger. I can lead you to it. It is well hidden in a town called Mystic Falls. However, time is of the essence and you must go alone. Certain doom will fall upon you if Nicklaus is involved. He cannot help you with this part of the journey. You must do this on your own."_

She woke immediately and sat up, trying to catch her breath. Klaus sat up next to her and gently stroked her cheek, causing her to turn to him.

"Another dream?"

She nodded, trying to formulate the words to explain what Esther had told her.

"She said someone else is looking for the amulet and I have to find it before they do."

"We'll find it first."

"She said you can't help me. I have to do this on my own."

"Well, we'll have to see about that."

"I'm supposed to travel to some town called Mystic Falls and she'll lead me to the amulet."

Klaus was quiet for a moment. "My home town. I haven't been there in centuries."

"I can't just leave. I've got work and school, and I don't want to leave you."

He put his hands on her shoulders. "I will not allow my mother to intimidate us with her false warnings and sorcery."

"I won't allow you to take any risks for me, either. If I have to do this on my own, I will." She forced a smile in spite of her feelings of dread. "I'll make sure I'm back in time for the ball." Marina kissed him, then looked at the clock. "I have to get back to my place so I can get ready for work."

"I am going with you to Mystic Falls."

She smiled back at him as she gathered her clothes to get dressed. "I want you to."

After she left, Klaus called Paulette. "You'd better have some answers for me. Time is running out."

"Relax, Klaus. I think I've got it. I've been studying Esther's book and have communicated with the other side."

"Tell me what you've found out."

"Were you aware that Elizabeth was a white witch?"

Klaus paused before responding. "How was that possible? I would have known."

"Her powers were never developed. One can be born a white witch, but the gifts it can bring must be earned. As you know, she was not exactly worthy of such power."

"Does that mean all her descendants were born as white witches?"

"Yes." She paused for a moment. "Ah, so that's what this is all about. You're involved with Elizabeth's descendant and she carries Elizabeth's curse that's linked to the amulet of power."

"Marina," he whispered.

"Yes, Marina is her name, isn't it? She is the last descendant. Her mother and grandmother failed to develop their powers, just like Elizabeth."

"Explain this amulet to me."

"First of all, when you killed Elizabeth, she transitioned to the other realm, since she was a supernatural being. Esther met her on the other side and Elizabeth begged to be saved."

"Why?"

"Elizabeth wanted to continue her acting career and told Esther that she wanted to be with her son, Kol. So, Esther agreed to do so, putting a limit on her descendants - only three generations, one daughter per descendant. She created an amulet - a silver medallion with three indentions reserved for a gemstone to represent each generation. This amulet is hidden in the town of Mystic Falls. Only Esther knows where it is, but there is another supernatural being looking for it. I cannot see who it is."

"Why did Esther save her? What was in it for her?"

"Esther considers you and your family of vampires an abomination. Didn't you know that?"

Klaus's heart grew cold. The guilt he carried for killing her quickly faded and a numb sensation came over him. He was speechless.

"You do realize that if Marina's powers come to fruition, she can destroy you."

Klaus closed his eyes, then quickly regained his composure. "So my mother has been using Elizabeth's descendants in the hopes that one of them would become a powerful white witch. All of this deception just to destroy me."

"Yes. I believe that is Marina's destiny."

"Marina will earn her powers if that is her destiny." He realized that his love for her was also part of his mother's demented plan to torture him. The pain and anger grew as each moment passed and the thought of losing Marina hurt him more than anything. The realization that she could be the one to someday destroy him was too much to bear. He had to find a way to stop this. "I'll just make her a vampire."

"You can't do that, Klaus."

"Like hell I can't."

"She could die."

"How?"

"As a white witch, your blood would be like poison to her."

"I'll just destroy the amulet, then."

"Klaus, her bloodline is linked to that amulet. It will kill her instantly."

He began to shout into the phone. "I have to do something! I cannot be without her!" He swallowed hard, fighting back tears of pain and anger.

Paulette's voice became surprisingly sympathetic. "I am sorry, Klaus. There's nothing I can do."

"Keep trying." He hung up and sat down on the bed. His mind raced, trying to absorb everything he'd been told. He got up and poured himself a drink. _"What if this is just Esther or some other witch jerking me around? What if none of this is true?"_ He went over and dialed the front desk. "I need you to ring Rebekah Mikaelson's room."

The call was connected immediately. A sleepy Rebekah answered. "It's too early, Nick."

"I need you. Come to my room."

Her voice instantly changed."I'll be right there." She arrived within minutes. He opened the door and ushered her in. "What's wrong?"

"Our mother wants us dead."

"What?"

"She wants to use Marina to destroy us. It turns out that she's a white witch."

"That's impossible. I thought white witches were extinct and only existed on the other side."

"Marina is the last one. Once she finds the amulet and develops her powers, she will be our undoing, so I've been told."

"Nick, our mother loved us!"

"She thinks we are an abomination."

Rebekah fought back tears. "I don't believe it."

He filled her in on everything that he learned from Paulette. "There is someone else looking for the amulet. I want you to follow us to Mystic Falls. Marina cannot know any of this. Find out who else is involved. They might know something that will help us."

"You're really hurt, aren't you?"

"Believe it or not, Rebekah, I love her."

"I know, Brother, and I am sorry."

"No matter what, we must survive. Esther will not have her way. I won't allow it."


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

Marina arrived at work and told Margaret that an aunt died, so she needed to leave for a few days to attend a funeral. The quest for the amulet occupied her every thought and she wondered what would happen to her once she found it. More importantly, how was it going to change her relationship with Klaus? She thought of her mom and wondered if she could help her understand any of this. Instead of going to class, Marina drove to her parents' house across town. When she arrived, her father was at work, so her mom welcomed her inside and she brewed some coffee. Her fluffy pink house coat made Mrs. Andrea Bell look a lot older than she was, as well as the way she wore her hair - up in a loose bun.

"I'm glad you stopped by, Honey. I haven't talked to you for a week."

"I know, Mom. I'm sorry about that. I've been busy."

"Anything new that you want to tell me?"

_"Mom, you have no idea."_ "Well, I have a new boyfriend."

"Really? Is he cute?"

"Handsome, really. We've gotten pretty serious."

"Oh." She sipped her coffee. "When do I get to meet him?"

"We'll see." Marina added sweetener and cream to her coffee. "I need to ask you about something important."

"Sure! What is it?"

"I know about the silver medallion with the gemstones."

Her mom set her coffee cup down and stared at it for a moment. "I was hoping you would somehow be spared."

"Is that why you never told me?"

"Yes. I didn't want you to go through what I went through."

"It's my turn to find it and I'm scared. I want to know what to expect."

"I was dating a man named Seth. He turned out to be a warlock. Long story short, he was the one that awakened the dreams. My mother, your grandma Mary, was dating a werewolf when the same happened to her."

"I'm dating a vampire. A hybrid, actually - he's part werewolf."

"I didn't know such a thing existed."

"He's the only one in the world. Mom, I have to know what happened when you found the amulet."

"I was transported to the other realm. I can't describe how beautiful it was. The best part is that time stood still while I was there. I spent three days training with the other white witches. When I was returned to our world, no time had passed. Isn't that amazing?"

"Why did they send you back?"

"It seems I failed the training. They wanted me to kill Seth and I refused."

"Is that what's going to happen to me? Are they going to want me to kill Klaus?"

"I don't know, Marina."

"Did they punish you for not doing what they asked?"

"Yes. As you already know, the family curse only allowed one daughter to each descendant. You were the last one, which means that you won't have any children, unless you break the curse."

"How do I do that?"

"Fulfill your destiny"

"Mom, what else did they do?"

She took a deep breath. "I loved Seth very much and I had to watch him die."

"That's awful."

Her mom fought back tears as she sipped her coffee. "There are so many things that could happen, Marina. You're going to be exposed to so many forces. I wish I could help you, but I can't. You have to do this alone." She grabbed her hand and looked deep into her eyes. "I love you, Honey. You are so much stronger than I was. I can feel it. You can do this. Don't be afraid and don't lose hope."

Marina smiled and squeezed her mom's hand. "Thanks, Mom."

* * *

Professor Hale was hard at work grading papers when Klaus entered his office and immediately demanded his attention. "What do you know of the other realm?"

"It is a place for all supernatural beings to go after death. It is also a training ground for white witches."

"How can it be accessed?"

"A witch's spell must be cast at one of the portal sites to allow entrance to the other realm. Only the supernatural may enter the other realm."

"What do you know of a cursed silver medallion that was created in 1910?"

"I have heard of it. It is well hidden. I do not know where it is."

"What happens when it is found?"

"Once it is found by the chosen white witch, she will be transported to the other realm and her training will begin."

"Then what?"

"She will be given an unknown weapon that can destroy evil."

"What weapon?"

"She will be the only one that can see it."

Klaus felt a twinge of discomfort at this revelation. "That's all for now, Professor. Go back to your work."

* * *

All the arrangements had been made. Marina called Klaus and asked him to come over. He soon arrived at her doorstep and she embraced him eagerly. Klaus gently lifted her up and moved her inside so he could close the door. He set her down, then looked into her eyes and brushed the tears away that had just begun to fall. "What did you find out?"

She told him about her visit with her mother and shared her concerns about Klaus being harmed.

"I've lived for a thousand years, despite many attempts on my life. I cannot be destroyed."

"What if they want me to kill you?"

"You can't."

"Because you can't be killed, or because you don't think I can do it?"

"Both."

"Isn't there something you can do to help me? I don't want this!"

"Listen to me, Love. I am not giving you up without a fight." He kissed her passionately.

"Are you sure you should go with me?"

"I can handle whatever happens. Trust me."

She asked him to stay with her, which he didn't hesitate to oblige.

He drove her to the airport the next morning and they made their way to Mystic Falls, Virginia. It was strange being home again after so many years. They walked through town and Klaus could sense that Mystic Falls was a hub for supernatural activity and had been for centuries.

"Where do I start?" Marina asked as she held his hand.

"Follow me."

He led her to the site of his village and the ancient cave that he played in as a child. He knew that his mother expected him to lead her there. She would not have been able to find this on her own. He ushered her in first. He tried to follow, but an invisible wall barred him from entering.

Marina turned to see why Klaus was not following her. "Who's doing this?"

"Hello, Marina." She turned to see who spoke to her. It was the man with the dark hair from her dream. "My, you are pretty. You're even prettier than your great-grandmother. What do you think, Elizabeth?"

Her eyes grew wide as a young Elizabeth Britten emerged from the shadow of the cave. "Calm yourself, Kol. I think my great-granddaughter only has eyes for your brother."

All eyes were turned upon Klaus. He slammed his fists against the invisible wall as he stared at Kol. "Who set you free?"

"I did."

He turned to see Rebekah standing behind him.

"That was not your decision to make!"

"I thought he could help us! I didn't realize that Kol's been communicating with Elizabeth on the other side! She was using him to find the amulet so he could bring her back! Her powers were corrupted after she died and she is now a dark witch. She's the one that tried to make you turn on the full moon and she's the one that's been manipulating Marina's dreams!"

"All this for revenge on me?" Klaus shouted.

"Of course, Klaus," replied Elizabeth. "Now, I can't take credit for all of Esther's appearances in Marina's dreams, but I have to admit that it was fun pretending to be Esther in the ones I did. You don't deserve Marina. She is going to destroy you and I am going to enjoy watching you die. Bring her inside, Kol."

Kol grabbed Marina and began pulling her backward into the cave. "No! Klaus, please help me!"

"Marina!" Klaus shouted into the darkness of the cave.

* * *

The amulet that had brought Marina to Mystic Falls hung in mid-air above what looked like an ancient stone altar. It held a ruby, a sapphire, and an opening for another stone. The shiny silver medallion reflected beautifully in the small pool of water that had collected on the altar. She couldn't take her eyes off it.

"Go ahead, Marina. Take it," Elizabeth urged.

She reached for it...

* * *

Klaus shouted in frustration as he pummeled and kicked the invisible wall. He rested his head against it in defeat. Rebekah gently laid her hand on his shoulder.

"She'll be fine, Nick."

"I swear I am going to make Kol regret this."

"Nick, let's leave. There's nothing we can do now. Perhaps Paulette can help you."

"What if they hurt her?"

"Remember that Elizabeth and Marina are both tied to the amulet. If Marina is harmed, Elizabeth will be, too."

Klaus nodded in silence, then turned to leave. Kol suddenly ran out of the cave and tackled Klaus to the ground. The two began to fight, swinging punches at lightning speed, throwing each other up against trees, and wrestling to the ground. Klaus stood up and brushed himself off. "I refuse to continue this ridiculous act."

"How dare you, Big Brother, literally stab me in the back!"

"You were fucking my girlfriend! I believe I was justified!"

"You were jealous that she wanted me and not you." Kol was immediately pinned to a tree with Klaus's hand wrapped around his throat.

"You listen to me, Kol. You are going to convince that crazy witch to let Marina go."

"It's too late. She is in the other realm. You will never see her again."

Klaus slowly loosened his grip on his brother. "Do you realize, Little Brother, that our mother wants us dead? You are helping to facilitate her revenge by bringing Elizabeth back!"

"I don't believe you, Klaus. I am free now and I am going to reclaim what is mine."

He walked back in to the cave and Klaus followed, but was again prevented entrance. After slamming his fist in frustration against the invisible wall again, he began to pace, trying to think of something to do.

Rebekah walked up to him again. "Nick, we need to leave. There is nothing you can do for her."

"I can't leave her, Rebekah. She needs me."

"No, she doesn't need you right now. She is going to be fine. She will come back to you. She loves you, Nick."

He took a deep breath and followed his sister back to town. He immediately called Paulette.

"I'm sorry, Klaus, but I can't break a spell like that."

"Then, get down here."

"I can't. I don't have enough power to go against a dark witch. I'm sorry." She hung up.

Klaus looked at Rebekah in defeat, then regained his composure. "I am not leaving here without her."

"Nick, I know you miss her, but we need to focus on how we're going to survive if Mother decides to come after us. She may decide to use another method if Marina cannot fulfill her destiny. I think we should go home to New Orleans and release our brothers."

"They are just going to betray me again."

"Nick! For God's sake, I'm here with you, helping you when I could be back in Seattle with my new boyfriend, who I actually care a great deal for! Now, please, let's go home and release our brothers."

Klaus looked at his sister and saw her devotion to him. It gave him a sense of peace. "Okay, let's go home."


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11_

"My God, Rebekah. You've managed to empty ever single liquor bottle in this house," Klaus commented dourly as he rifled through the bar in his New Orleans home and could not find a drop of bourbon or sherry. He stormed up to his room and found his hidden bottle of port and began to drink.

Rebekah followed him. "What did you expect me to do, Nick? I was bored out of my mind with nothing to do, so I had some friends over."

"You have friends?"

She shook her head. "You're so funny."

Klaus managed a half-hearted smile. Deep down, he was glad to have her with him. "Did you pull the stakes?"

"Only Elijah. I don't think Finn's going to be any help. If we release him, he'll probably beg our mother to kill us."

"Sad, but true, Rebekah." He took another swig of his port. "While we're waiting for Elijah to awaken, perhaps you should call your boyfriend. I'm sure he's missing you."

Rebekah looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "I do miss him." She turned to leave, but stopped. "I didn't think I would ever see the day that you would give your heart so fully to someone. You surprised me."

Klaus responded with a defeat in his voice that she had never heard before. "Well, as you can see, it hasn't done me a bit of good, has it?" He took another drink.

"You're wrong, Nick. You regained a part of your humanity. Hold on to that."

He watched her leave, then finished off the last of the port. He collapsed on to his bed and closed his eyes, thinking of Marina and wondering if she would ever return. If she returned, would she be the same woman he fell in love with? Sleep came slowly to him as he tried to get comfortable in a bed that felt much too empty, much too lonely.

* * *

"Good morning, Klaus."

He slowly opened his eyes, fighting off the lingering effects of his drinking the night before. Elijah's face came into focus. "You want an explanation of why I stabbed you."

"I think, all things considered, that would be the least you could do!"

"You interfered with my plans again, Mate."

"I was trying to keep my brother out of harm's way!"

"I was in no danger."

"Oh, Klaus! You were being reckless and, from what Rebekah tells me, you've managed to upset some more witches, including our mother!"

"Mother has wanted us dead for a long time, it seems! To hell with her and the rest of those bloody witches!"

Elijah took a deep breath and sat down next to his brother. Putting his hand on his shoulder, Elijah said calmly, "Rebekah told me everything. I'm sorry you are hurting, Brother."

"Who cares if I'm hurting? I'm getting what I deserve, right? Now, I want to give that bitch Elizabeth and our traitor of a brother what they deserve!" He got up and began to get dressed.

"Klaus, we need to think of a strategy against Mother, just to be prepared."

"I need a more powerful witch."

Rebekah came up the stairs. "We have a visitor."

Elijah and Klaus looked at each other, then went downstairs. Seated in the foyer was a woman that looked like Paulette, but older who held Esther's spell book in her hands. She extended her hand to Klaus. "I'm Antonia. Paulette's mother. She called on me to help you with your situation. However, I believe we have some unfinished business to discuss before I assist you any further: the matter of my son in Canada."

Elijah and Rebekah both looked at Klaus. He looked at Antonia and failed to hide his disgust. "If you are successful in helping us, you have my word that your son is safe from me. Are we agreed?"

"Yes. Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let's talk about this fascinating book of your Mother's."

They all sat down in the living room and discussed the combination of spells that would be needed to offer them some protection against Esther. Nothing was foolproof, unfortunately, but it was comforting nonetheless. However, all Klaus could focus on was revenge against Elizabeth and Kol. Before he could ask Antonia to find a way to curse them, he noticed a breeze sweep through the house.

Antonia closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm sensing the bond between Klaus and the white witch in training - Marina. She is trying to communicate from the other side."

Klaus's heart skipped a beat as he leaned forward, trying to discern the mumbling escaping Antonia's lips. He became impatient. "What is she saying? Tell me!"

"Klaus, she wants you to know that she will see you soon, as she promised."

He remembered her telling him that she would be back in time to go to the ball with him. He still had his doubts, though. He swallowed before asking, "Can you ask her if she is alright?"

Antonia looked at him and smiled. Closing her eyes, the mumbling began again. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "She is fine and you are not to worry." Antonia paused. "Her love for you is strong, Klaus."

He tried to conceal his smile, but found it difficult. "Can you tell her..."

"Yes, I will tell her that you love her."

Klaus nodded, unable to speak with the intense emotion that arose inside of him. He quickly got up and left the room, determined to be packed and back in Seattle in time for the charity ball.


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12_

The day of the ball finally arrived. Klaus had lectured for Professor Hale a few more times during the week, just to have something to do to pass the time and keep his mind occupied. Rebekah returned to Seattle earlier that day, having left Elijah to watch over Finn. She and Klaus had lunch together, then she went to get her hair and nails done. He went back to his room and was reading when there was a knock at the door. He opened it to find a member of the hotel staff.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Mikaelson, I have a message for you from Miss Marina Bell. She asked that this message be delivered to you in person."

He accepted the note and eagerly opened it once the door was closed.

_Dear Klaus,_

_I know for you it has only been a few days since I left, but for me it has been three months. I have missed you so much. I have learned a lot and I am anxious to show you what I can do now! They have told me that I am the chosen one to fulfill this destiny and I have much more training to endure. Be careful of Elizabeth and Kol. They are together somewhere and I know they wish to exact revenge on you. I want so much to have a life with you, but the only way that will be possible is for you to save yourself. There is a cure for what you are. It is hidden in the tomb of Silas, the immortal. It will not be easy to find and may take the assistance of others to discover where it is hidden. There are other tasks you must accomplish along the way. Once you are cured, you will not need to be destroyed and we could have a normal life together, maybe even have a family. I hope that is what you want, too. I will be at the ball tonight. I would appreciate it if your sister Rebekah would help me get ready. I want to surprise you. Can you arrange for her to take my wardrobe to her room? I love you._

_Marina_

Klaus had never felt such a wide range of emotions all at once before. _"A cure? That cannot be possible."_ He read the note over and over. He had never thought about being human again. Klaus had hoped to have Marina at his side for eternity as an immortal. He had grown accustomed to being one of the most powerful beings in the world. It was too much to think about at the moment. He was ecstatic that he was going to see her again. Once Rebekah finally returned to her room, Klaus made the arrangements to have Marina's things delivered there and he got himself ready.

The ballroom was full of people when Klaus arrived. He stood near the entrance and waited. It wasn't long before Rebekah arrived with Scott.

"Scott, I would like to introduce you to my brother, Nick." They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Then, the three of them looked at the entrance to see Marina walk in and accept Klaus's extended hand.

Klaus was speechless for a moment as he looked at Marina. She looked stunning. As she held tightly to his hand, he smiled and said, "You look absolutely beautiful tonight."

Marina smiled in return. "Thank you, Klaus." She stared into his eyes with longing. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you."

Rebekah interjected, "Well, if you will excuse us, we're going to get some champagne."

They walked away, leaving Klaus alone with Marina. He studied her and realized that there was something subtly different about her features. He reached out to touch her face and it felt even softer than before. "What happened?"

She looked at him admiringly. "I'm more like you now. I'm stronger, faster, and I feel so much more than I ever did."

He had so many questions, but didn't know where to start. "How do you feel?"

"Happy, now that I'm with you." They kissed and held to each other for a moment.

"Let's enjoy the evening, shall we?" She smiled and nodded. They ate their dinner, danced, and visited with Rebekah and Scott. It was getting close to midnight when a thunderstorm began to brew outside. He watched Marina slowly walk towards the terrace in a trance. "Marina? What's wrong?" He looked in the direction she was facing and saw two figures standing a good distance away. "They followed you here," he said angrily.

"No, I asked them to come."

Klaus looked at her with shock. "Why in bloody hell would you do that?"

She looked at him with glazed eyes. "Come outside."

He followed her into the courtyard. He stopped in disbelief as she continued to walk to where Elizabeth and Kol were standing. "Marina! What are you doing?"

"She's going to prove herself. Right now," Elizabeth coldly replied. She cast a spell on Klaus that caused him to hold his head in agony. "Marina. Do it now!"

Marina took on the steely façade of a warrior and ran at Klaus, raising an invisible sword that only she could see. At that moment, Rebekah snuck up behind Kol and daggered him. She then grabbed Elizabeth and shouted, "Nick! Look out!"

Just as Marina raised up to stab Klaus, his reflexes took over and he held her arm holding the weapon away from his body. Their eyes locked for a second and he saw nothing but an enemy looking back at him. His instincts took over and he viciously bit into her neck, draining her rapidly.

"Nick! Stop it! You'll kill her!" Rebekah shouted. She pushed Elizabeth aside, but instead of moving, she simply disappeared into thin air.

He continued, despite hearing his sister's warning. The anger and rage fueled his hunger as his feelings of being deceived and betrayed blocked out all of his other senses. He finally stopped right before her heart stopped beating. He kneeled down as he held her limp body in his lap. His senses began to come back to him as he looked at Marina, covered in blood. The horror of seeing what he had done to her was too much. He shouted in agony and his body began to shake as he fought back sobs. "No! What have I done?"

Marina looked up at him as she began to take her last breaths. "I'm so sorry, my love. Please forgive me."

Klaus stroked her hair as denial set in. His anger came bursting out of him. "You cannot leave me!"

"It's my destiny. Find Silas. Find the cure. Just as the sun can guide you, so can the moon..." She reached up, touched his face, then quietly faded into the other realm once again.

The rain began to fall as Klaus closed his eyes, still holding tight to Marina's body. Rebekah knelt next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He silently wept as the rain washed away his tears. After what seemed like an eternity, he could sense someone standing in front of him.

"Well, Klaus, perhaps it is true that you cannot be killed, at least, in the literal sense." It was Elizabeth.

Klaus looked up at her. "If you were really standing there, I would rip you apart."

"Lucky for me, I am no longer flesh and blood."

"Get out of here."

"See you on the other side...someday." She disappeared again.

* * *

The champagne bottle was empty as Klaus stood up from his chair. He threw his glass into the fire, shattering it. The guilt he carried was still fresh and it weighed heavily on his heart. He looked out his window at the moon, which was bright and full. It held his attention for a moment as he thought of Marina's final words. Silas had the power to bring back the dead, from what he had heard. Could he bring back Marina? Would she be able to forgive him if she did return? It didn't matter. He couldn't forgive himself and the thought of giving his heart to anyone else was unthinkable. It was time to move forward with his plans and re-establish himself as the most powerful being in the world, and he would not let anyone get in his way.


End file.
